Five wounded in East Side shooting

Four people were hit by bullets and a fifth was apparently struck by debris from a bullet ricochet during an early Sunday shooting in Columbia, authorities said.

Four people were hit by bullets and a fifth was apparently struck by debris from a bullet ricochet during an early Sunday shooting in Columbia, authorities said.

The incident occurred about 4 a.m. Sunday in the area of East 9th Street and Bridge Street in Columbia, near The Down Low Restaurant, Columbia Police Department Sgt. Michael Kash said.

Police arrived on the scene shortly after receiving a call and discovered a black male, estimated to be in his 40s, with wounds that were described as "ricochet injures," Kash said. His name and age were not immediately available, he said.

Four additional victims — three men and a woman — were found to be at the Maury Regional Medical Center emergency room a short time later, Kash said.

"We got a call that there were four more (victims) at the ER with gunshot injuries," Kash said. "We don’t know the motivation. It’s still an ongoing investigation."

Aubrey Amos, born in 1970, and Shawn Duncan, born in 1973, were admitted to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Kash said.

Erica Symlar, born in 1973, and Christopher Davis, who was described as being in his 40s, were treated and released at MRMC with minor bullet wounds, Kash said.

Kash said he doesn’t believe the Down Low Restaurant was open at the time of the shootings. He also believes that there were multiple shooters involved, however, he could not confirm that detail Sunday.

Kash said he could not provide additional details about the victims.

No arrests had been made as of Sunday night. The matter remains under investigation, Kash said.

A resident who lives on Bridge Street behind the Down Low Restaurant said she was not aware of the shooting near her home. She did not want to be identified because she said, "People are crazy."

"That makes me nervous," she said Sunday.

Bridge Street resident Ella Matthews, who also lives behind the restaurant, said she was home sleeping at the time of the incident.

She was also not aware a shooting happened near her home, but she called the situation "ridiculous" when a Daily Herald reporter described the incident.

"I hadn’t heard a thing about it," Matthews said. "Usually you hear rumors, but I hadn’t heard anything. I hate to hear about anything happening like that."